The final racing afternoon of the year will unfold with edge and intent at Aqueduct Racecourse on December 31, where Wednesday’s card is set to balance youthful promise with seasoned resolve. Eight races will drive the programme forward, building naturally toward Race 5, the feature $85,000 Maiden Special Weight, where two-year-olds will be tested over 1 1/8 miles in a race designed to separate raw speed from genuine staying ability as the season closes.
Proceedings will break sharply at 12:40 pm with Race 1, a $80,000 Maiden Special Weight for two-year-olds foaled in New York State, run over one mile. Seven runners will step onto the track with futures still unwritten, setting an early tone of expectation rather than certainty.
The focus will remain on emerging talent at 1:09 pm with Race 2, another $80,000 Maiden Special Weight over one mile for New York State–foaled juveniles. Eight runners will line up, offering depth and contrast as connections seek progress before the year turns.
Experience will come to the fore at 1:38 pm in Race 3, a Starter Allowance for fillies and mares three years old and upward. Run over 6½ furlongs with $65,000 on offer, the eight-runner field will bring tactical pace and established form into sharper focus.
At 2:08 pm, Race 4 will test resolve in a $38,000 Maiden Claiming over six furlongs for three-year-olds and upward foaled in New York State. Ten runners will contest a race where opportunity often arrives without warning.
Attention will then lock onto the card’s richest race – Race 5 at 2:37 pm, the afternoon’s defining moment. The $85,000 Maiden Special Weight for two-year-olds, contested over 1 1/8 miles, will challenge nine runners to stretch beyond comfort. This will be a race shaped by patience, balance, and the ability to finish strongly when the pressure rises.
Contenders: Ottinho, Hadrian’s Wall, Grey Bull, Mr Baldy, Print, Geostoblame, Baltimore, Double Act, Gulfy
The tempo will lift again at 3:06 pm with Race 6, a $43,000 Claiming sprint over six furlongs for three-year-olds and upward. Nine runners will ensure intensity remains high as the card enters its final stretch.
Quality and competitiveness will combine at 3:35 pm in Race 7, an $82,000 Allowance Optional Claiming for fillies and mares three years old and upward foaled in New York State. Run over 6½ furlongs, the ten-runner field promises a strong examination of consistency and finishing speed.
The year will close decisively at 4:04 pm with Race 8, a $28,000 Claiming event over 6½ furlongs for three-year-olds and upward. Twelve runners will line up to ensure the finale is contested with urgency rather than formality.
Aqueduct Racecards 31 December will move with purpose, offering a meeting built on progression, competition, and forward momentum. This will be a closing chapter written not in reflection, but in intent.
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